Spanophiles,

If you're looking for really great airfares from the USA to Madrid, check out www.Iberia.com.

I booked a flight from Phoenix to Madrid about a month ago for $545! round trip plus tax. I'm travelling in May and coming home on a Saturday. (Typically, Saturday departures are more expensive.)

Iberia booked me on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Chicago and then on Iberia to Madrid. All for $545. Out of curiousity, I went back to www.Iberia.com this AM and they had dropped the price of that same itinerary to $520.

The lowest fares I could find elsewhere ( travelocity , expedia etc.)were in the neighborhood of $700 round trip.

Iberia also flies the new, QUIET, Airbus 340's from Chicago to Madrid.

I haven't flown Iberia before, does anyone have any info/feedback on them?

Sounds great!!! I think you'll find LOTS of previously posted personal feedback on Iberia right here in this forum, including my GLOWING review of them and their royal treatment towards me on my return trip from Madrid after the last Christmas holiday. Mmmm.. wow.

I am planning to travel from San Diego to Lisbon and then onto Madrid in Oct. Unfortunately the Iberia site does not give rates more than 6 months out. We were going to bypass Madrid this year on our way to Barcelona but how can you pass Madrid up.

RainSpooner writes: I found Service on Iberia TransAtlantic flights to be below par (not good, like in golf but poor, meaning not so good). The Flight Attendants act very much like Government employees or Political appointees (We may not give very good service but we're SLOW!) I have flown TransAtlantic on Iberia more than one roundtrip. Surprisingly, we found just the opposite on Iberia's Intra-Europe flights. Service was excellent.

LasGaviotas writes: On another forum, under subject 'Day in Morocco' you say you will be on a Cruise ship. I assume you are traveling Lisbon-Gibraltar-Barcelona by ship. If that's the case, you may have to 'jump ship' in Lisbon or Gibraltar, travel overland (or fly) to Madrid and rejoin your cruise in Barcelona.
What does that have to do with: 'Good deals on Iberia.com?'

Rainspooner,

The flights I took via Iberia, non-stop Chicago to Madrid & return, on the A340 Airbus, did have movies. There were screens located throughout the cabin, but no TV type screens located at each seat area.

Hope this helps -

Wolf

Hey all, while we're on the subject of Iberia, I've got a question for you:

I remember great service on Iberia, but of course I had just gotten off a flight on TWA (The Worst Airline). This was about 12 years ago from Heathrow to Bilbao...they came around with an hors d'oeuvre (I'm no Frenchie :p ) tray and had us pick off it like at a garden party...it was novel, and the food was good, but that was years ago.

While almost certain they no longer do this...has anyone seen this sort of service from Iberia recently?

Hey CaliBasco-

I havent' seen them come around with hors d'oevres, but they always come around with trays of bread asking if anyone wants more!! Gotta love it!!

-GranadaGirl

GG--bread's good for soaking up that vino tinto, isn't it?

The pan rocks! I just wish I could match in with my baking -

Actually I have found that the food on Iberia's flights ain't half bad. With the "overnight flight" because you leave late one afternoon and arrive in Madrid just before 8 AM (from Chicago), you get a breakfast as well as the dinner meal earlier. I go all out on the bread and Spanish type condiments to use on it. It may not be a five star meal but I don't really care. It's a gourmet meal to me! Especially when they bring me more pan and decent coffee!!!

Wolf (Who eats his way across the Atlantic both ways! - )

AH! Let's all repeat together..."Alguien quiere MAS PAN?!" The magical phrase that keeps us travelling with Iberia...

The food isn't half bad, although I must say the first meal I had on Air Europa was GREAT! Given, it was Good Friday and as the good Catholic I am, I shouldn't have eaten it, but they gave us each chicken tenders AND a type of beef stroganoff, and, yes, I ate BOTH. I just don't feel right travelling on an empty stomach... The meal on the way home wasn't as great though.

Back to Iberia...I have seen more consistent 'decent' meals as opposed to 'mystery meat' casseroles...(I travelled on British Airways once, and they served us some type of fish. Needless to say I didn't eat it, hasn't ANYONE seen the movie Airplane?!)

-GG (who's with Wolf in eating her way across the Atlantic and back)